Fall
by Ame no Chikara
Summary: [Shounen Ai] Inuyasha is given a month to make what seems to him an obvious choice between Kagome and Miroku. But as White Day approaches, Inuyasha begins having second thoughts...


Disclaimer: I _do not _and _will not_ ever own Inuyasha. It belongs, respectively, to Mrs. Rumiko Takahashi. 

Warning: This fanfiction contains a relationship between 2 boys (Inuyasha and Miroku) and if you are offended by this relationship- please do not read the following text. If you do fancy yaoi, this is the type of fanfiction for you. In that case, read and review!^_^

Fall 

By Ame no Chikara

"This... is for you," Kagome said with eyes open wide. Extending her arms out, she presented Inuyasha with a heart-shaped box. "I bought it for you because, well to be quite frank... I like you a lot, Inuyasha." 

The words seemed to go right through one ear and outside the other, however, as he snatched the big heart-shaped box out of Kagome's hands. He could feel himself stiffen as he began shaking the box in a certain suspicion. He narrowed his eyes and peered up to her cynically. "Whatcha get me? A stupid plastic sword?"

Kagome pouted in response. "Inuyasha- honestly! That was in the Christmas Crackers I brought back for you guys. You're supposed to be surprised and content with the present even though it isn't something big."

Inuyasha compounded his face into a scowl. "Keh. I'm supposed to be content? How about we try confused. How am I supposed to know what all you stupid holidays and presents are for?"

Kagome took that as a sign. It was official- Inuyasha had no interest in her at all, or if he did, he wasn't showing it. In a feeble defence, she bit her lower lip and narrowed her eyes to hold back her tears. "It's Valentine's Day, all right? It's the day where two-"

"That's not what you said it was called, bitch. It was 'Christmas'-remember? Honestly, women!" Inuyasha responded, rolling his eyes. He shook the box yet again before sliding the lid off of it. He sniffed it carefully before scrunching up his face. "What the hell is this crap, anyway?"

"Osuwari!"Kagome yelled back in fury, watching Inuyasha crash to the ground while holding the box of chocolates and ensuring that none would fall out. He stuck his tongue out at Kagome as he sat back up in place and grabbed one of the brown globs of gooey chocolate, inspecting it throughly before plopping it in his mouth. Kagome sighed and decided to continue on, apparently forgiving Inuyasha since he had at least _tried _he gift. "That box is full of chocolates to signify what I feel for you... And you respond to them-"

"Keh! I don't like them." Inuyasha commented bluntly, spitting out a gourmet chocolate. He grabbed Kagome's picnic map out of her big yellow backpack to wipe the taste off of his tongue. "What the hell are those things? Did you go to the bathroom in a box? Honestly!"

A hurt expression crossed Kagome's face. Tears filled her eyes as her bottom lip trembled and her eyes commenced searching for something to redeem the matter. After a few seconds, she came to a rushed conclusion- there was no redeeming factors to this problem. 

"B-bakayarou!"Kagome stuttered out as she ran out of the room crying. Inuyasha just rolled his eyes in response.

"Drama Queen!" He growled, returning to the backpack's interior. Inuyasha soon heard Miroku chuckling lightly in the corner.

"What's so damn funny, lecher?" Inuyasha hissed to the monk, still rummaging through Kagome's bag to find something to successfully get the horrid taste off his tongue. 

"Inuyasha! Are you on a cruel strike today? Honestly... show some compassion towards me!" Miroku pouted slightly. Inuyasha rolled his eyes, apparently seeing through the priest's childlike facade.

"Inuyasha! Are you on a cruel strike today?" Inuyasha said mockingly, batting his eyelashes gently as he tore open a side pocket on Kagome's backpack. "Stupid priest! Think I'd fall for your stupid face?"

"Hey, it's always worth a try... So, what did you do to Kagome-sama this time?" Miroku asked, smirking slightly.

"What's it to you anyway? She gave me a box of things that tasted and looked like she had went to the bathroom in a box for me. I told her and she ran out of the room calling e names! For God's sake-I just want to get the taste out of my mouth! Stupid bitch- she misunderstands everything." Inuyasha rambled on, not looking up from clawing through the contents of the young girl's backpack.

"Ah- woe is the life of you, Inuyasha." Inuyasha shot a nasty glance at Miroku. The monk sighed and rolled his eyes."Kagome is the one I honestly feel bad for, Inuyasha.

"Keh. Why the hell would you feel sorry for someone who tries to kill me?" Inuyasha bared his fangs at the chocolates

Miroku's eyes lit up with life and his lips curled into a dreamy smile."It's simple really... why I feel bad for her. She just confessed her love to you, Inuyasha, and you didn't give her an answer."

Inuyasha sat stunned for a moment before returning to hunt for something to get rid of the taste. He changed his expression back to that of indifference and rolled his eyes, as if trying to stay cool. "Like I care. Trying to kill me with her nasty brown globs! Fancy way to say you like someone!"

"So many masks you put on, my dear Inuyasha...." Miroku mumbled, making sure Inuyasha would be incapable of hearing him. He decided, at this point, he would have some fun with the young hanyou. Miroku walked over to Inuyasha and sat down rather close to him, paying close attention to the hanyou studying him out of the corner of his eyes. "So... what are you going to do about it on White Day?"

Inuyasha looked up from dumping out Kagome's backpack on the floor. "White Day?"

"Why, yes, Inuyasha. You just didn't let Kagome talk or else you would know about White Day, too." Miroku said in an overly suspicious sexy voice. Inuyasha watched as Miroku began to lean in towards him in a way that normally only lovers do. "It's the day where you tell Kagome-sama whether you love her or not."

Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up in a shock. A nervous pang ran across his stomach- not only from the idea of confessing his feelings but also how Miroku had managed to move even closer to Inuyasha."T-tell Kagome how I feel about her? H-how? When?"

Miroku chuckled in response and got within a few inches of Inuyasha's face. "Why, yes, Inuyasha... that's how Kagome-sama's holidays go. There is always a response somehow. Now, I should answer your questions, shouldn't I. First- how do you respond? Well, typically you would give her a present in a white box. Different presents have different symbolisms. Second-when do you tell her? In one month's time." 

Inuyasha swallowed hard as he looked deep into Miroku's violet-blue eyes. Inuyasha had too many thoughts going through his head... about Miroku and about this 'White Day'. He had to get the tension away... he needed answers. He inhaled sharply, taking in a deep breath of Miroku's cologne. He felt his pants tighten as he watched Miroku lick his lips. He needed to choose his words correctly."...What are you doing...?"

Miroku closed his eyes and shook his head silently. Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat as Miroku's eyes opened up again, revealing a sense of need. "Nothing..." 

"Then... why are you... so close?"Inuyasha took a deep breath in as he said this, inhaling the strong scent of cologne. Inuyasha was intoxicated by the scent and it's effect was obvious on him- paralysation. 

"You needed something to take the taste out of your mouth, right?" Miroku said abruptly, coming closer into Inuyasha's face until their noses touched.

"What did you... have in mind?" Inuyasha inquired, feeling his stomach flutter and his heart skip a beat. Inuyasha took in another sharp breath of cologne, which made him further realize that he couldn't avoid that which is inevitable. 

Miroku paused for a moment before closing his eyes and bringing his lips within an inch of Inuyasha's. "There is a water bottle somewhere in Kagome-sama's bag..."Miroku responded quietly. feeling Inuyasha's breath gently wash over him. 

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha asked almost inaudibly. His eyelids drooped heavily over his eyes in response as he slowly closed the space between their lips. The creak of a door would soon send both men flying.

A loud gasp would break the silence that had seemed like an eternity. Kagome, though she hadn't seen the whole thing, wasn't naive and had a pretty good idea about what was happening. "I... This has been the worst Valentine's Day ever!" 

Inuyasha put up his hand to stop her and reached it out in a deep need, opening his mouth to respond to this horror. "Kagome... Wait..." He said with a dry mouth. He abruptly turned to Miroku with acid in his golden eyes. "What the hell were you trying to do to me?"

"Nothing that you wouldn't have done to me, given the right circumstances..." Inuyasha moved to object, but Miroku pressed a finger against Inuyasha's lips. Miroku smiled softly and pulled out a small box with a card tied to the top of it. Miroku handed it to Inuyasha. He smiled gently as Inuyasha grabbed the box from his hands. "It's your choice... Inuyasha." Miroku got up without a word and left behind a confused Inuyasha. 

He shut the door silently behind himself and let out a depressed sigh. "It's further than I ever expected to get with him, anyhow..." Miroku could feel his gut overturn when he woke up to reality- this might scare Inuyasha away forever. 

Inside the hut, Inuyasha watched the door close and sighed. He then shot a sharp look to the ajar box of chocolates and then a tender look at the small box in his own hands. He touched his lips slowly as his fingers trembled slightly."Choose... huh?"

*****************************************************************

In a month's time, no one had really come close to anyone else. Everyone seemed distant in so many ways. Sango needed to find Kohaku and Shippou was quiet and removed for unknown reasons. Miroku and Kagome were distant because of the simple choice that Inuyasha had to make-or so it seemed simple to Inuyasha.

He would choose Kagome. There was no doubt in his mind as he held the two white boxes in his hands. He shivered as he touched them, pondering about when the right time would come. 

Inuyasha stuck his hand into his kimono, slipped the boxes in, and grabbed out a gently folded paper. He opened it slowly, remembering it as being the conditions in which Miroku had given him it one month earlier. 'On March 14th,' The first sentence read, 'Anyone who gave you anything on Valentine's Day will be expecting something back from you in response. Cookies translate in to a flat out no, whereas candy and chocolate are quite the opposite. Marshmallows fall somewhere between the two as a proposal of simple friendship. I will be awaiting your answer to my proposal, Inuyasha...'

His hand shook as he let the paper and the boxes meet inside his kimono again. He snuck a glance towards Kagome and felt a knot tie up in his gut. Kagome's eyes were filled with the complexions of anxiety and fear. She returned Inuyasha's glance before referring her eyes, to return to a conversation with Sango about her piggy bank, that had went missing. He sighed and then snuck a glance over towards Miroku, whom he noticed was scrutinizing him carefully. Miroku flashed him a beautiful and innocent smile while closing his eyes, as to not allow Inuyasha to see the worry in them. His stomach untied in response to Miroku's smile and he could feel his face heating up as he turned away.

'That time,'He thought to himself,'I was so ready to kiss him.' Inuyasha shook his head as the tomato red blush on his face deepened even further. 'And then... I realized I was hard...but I know that I was just... a little crazy on that day...'

Shaking his head, he carefully made his way outside of the hut where the group was staying. It was less then three miles away from the village where they were one month previously. He sniffed around in the spring air as he thought about how little they had progressed. 'It's funny... We haven't made it very far considering how many days have passed since... then...'

Inuyasha searched around in his kimono again, pulling out the boxes again. He shivered as he uncovered the heavier of the two boxes and he slipped a note in. 'I hope I don't hurt anybody for doing this...' He coved the box and thought about the choice he was going to make. He shivered at the thought of someone not in completion because of him... little old him.

He looked to the horizon and he could see the day slowly slipping behind it. He held himself tightly and felt a tear roll down his face. 'Well... there isn't any time but the present to get this evil hell over with, right?' he thought to himself gently.

He tightened his grasp on the heavier of the white boxes and slowly made his way back into the hut to stand in front of Kagome. Miroku's eyes met the floor slowly as Inuyasha smiled and knelt down on one knee. 'It's like a perfect picture that I have no right to belong in...' He thought to himself. Miroku pushed himself up as he decided there was no reason for him to torture himself. He feet began slowly, but picked up speed as the door became closer to him. He heard Inuyasha clear his throat as he quickened up his pace to stand outside the door.

"Kagome..."Inuyasha said, looking deep into the young girl's eyes. "This... is for you." Inuyasha didn't linger in front of Kagome- he simply gave her the magnificent white box and turned to follow Miroku's scent out the door. Miroku sighed deeply as he heard Inuyasha stand up and approach where he was standing.

'He chose her...'Miroku thought to himself gently. 'He didn't even bother to get me something because I'm another man. He's coming to apologize now and strike me across the face... not like I blame him. I bet I scared him to death... I better leave before he comes to tell me... It would be easier on the lot of us if I just would leave now...' Miroku pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against and began to wonder where he should go. The interior of the hut sounded good at the moment, thus, he could avoid an awkwardness and leave during the middle of the night. This was foiled, however, when he found Inuyasha standing in his way like a club bouncer. 

"Don't you think that maybe we should talk about what happened?" Inuyasha said, outreaching an arm to catch Miroku before he returned to the hut's interior. "Just a short discussion- maybe we'll reach a better understanding."

"Ah..."Miroku smiled innocently. Miroku needed a way out. He scanned the landscape, only to find a few ladies from the village headed toward a hot spring."I was going to take a bath. You are welcome to join me if you wish."

"How about a stroll in the woods, monk?"Inuyasha replied, his eyes narrowing silently in a response that was hard to pick an emotion out of.

"Sounds time consuming..."Miroku said, turning himself towards the woods without trying to look at Inuyasha. He heard a growl and felt claws dig into his shoulder. There was no choice for him- he had to face the awkwardness. "But very enjoyable..."

Silently, they walked for what seemed like forever. The woods were deep and Miroku could have sworn that Inuyasha and himself had indeed reached the middle of them before even a word was spoken. "So... you wanted to say something, Inuyasha?"

"I... I wanted to bring you out here to say..."Inuyasha blushed widely. "Well... I got you something for White Day." Inuyasha held out the box with his eyes meeting the ground. 

Miroku's heart beat quickly. He took the box from Inuyasha's hands and swallowed unevenly. The demeanor in which Inuyasha had presented the box to him was different than the way he had given Kagome her box. Miroku slid the top of the box away and brought his eyes to meet evenly with a marshmallow cookie covered in chocolate. Miroku had been expecting either the worst of things or the best of things... but this was... unexplainable. "And you mean... what by this?" 

"I um... well... I..." Inuyasha looked Miroku deep in the eyes and inhaled sharply. Inuyasha could smell the cologne on Miroku's skin again and it was making him dizzy with lust. He stepped forward to kiss Miroku, but mentally slapped himself back to reality."What the hell do you think I mean? I'm not sure, okay?" Miroku looked stunned and yet hurt at the same time. Inuyasha decided that he deserved a little more explanation.

"Inside my heart,"Inuyasha continued in a gentle voice;"I think you're the best friend anyone could ever have... and I want to start something with you. But, the more I thought about it, the more I couldn't help and think about if I lost you as a friend... So, I don't know... ok?"

Miroku pulled in close to Inuyasha. "I know exactly how you feel..." Their noses touched again as they had one month earlier. Inuyasha closed his eyes and waited for a kiss that wouldn't come. He opened his eyes slowly and looked around at the scene naively. 

Inuyasha eyed Miroku suspiciously as he threw his staff to the ground and loosened his collar. Miroku's eyes half-lidded as he pushed Inuyasha to the ground and held him down with a foot.

"W-what are you looking at me for like that?" Inuyasha said nervously, trying to roll away from the pose unsuccessfully. Inuyasha took in a sharp breath of cologne as Miroku finished undoing his collar. Inuyasha didn't know what had just happened to Miroku to change the mood so suddenly. Miroku just smirked in reply. He loosened the tie around his hair and undid the bow on his robes. Miroku cast the outer robe to the side and began to pull down the black one. Inuyasha watched as Miroku threw the black robe to the ground. "What the hell are you-" 

Inuyasha was cut off by an aggressive kiss by a naked Miroku. The priest's lips shoved themselves against the hanyou's with a strong and exotic craving in them. Inuyasha grunted and started to innocently wonder how long the priest had been waiting to do this to him. As their lips parted, Miroku sucked on Inuyasha's bottom lip, sending chills up and down his body. 

He found a sudden absence of action and he opened one eye slowly. He then felt a hot and wet roughness run across his jawbone, sending trembles of pleasure up and down his body. Inuyasha softly grunted a response. Miroku trailed kisses down Inuyasha's neck and purred at the grunts and moans he got in response. Inuyasha started to sink into pleasure until he slapped himself mentally. 

'I... we're not... I haven't even kissed him yet...'Inuyasha thought, slowly opening his eyes through the flashes of blinding pleasure.

"Why are you... raping me...?" Inuyasha asked as his eyes glazed over in lust from the houshi's skilled tongue still exploring his neck and face. Inuyasha moaned and closed his eyes from the pleasure once more. Miroku licked his own lips and looked back down a Inuyasha. 

Miroku smirked in response as he cupped his lover's face in his left hand, licking his own lips yet again in hunger."It's not rape if you want me to do it, my dear."Inuyasha's eyes snapped open in shock as he realized Miroku could read him like a book. Miroku jammed his mouth onto Inuyasha's and lashed his tongue around violently in the hanyou's mouth. The hanyou groaned as Miroku withdrew. "Plus, I haven't removed these garments yet..." Inuyasha moved to protest, but Miroku moved his hand down into Inuyasha's pants, only to reach his length and grab at it, noticing it was erect. 

Miroku began to stroke it softly. Inuyasha began to pant as Miroku did this. It hurt Inuyasha to be in so much pleasure at one time... he had to do something about it. Inuyasha began to thrust his hips in a forward motion as Miroku's rate of rubbing increased. Inuyasha felt more sexually aroused now than he ever had before. He closed his eyes so he could submerge himself in the pleasure, but soon opened his eyes in shock when Miroku stopped. He watched silently as Miroku gently got up and slipped his plain black robe back over himself . Inuyasha moved to protest as Miroku threw the gray cloth around it. "Why did you stop?"

Miroku's eyes looked up sadly. He tied the knot of the grayish purple kimono firmly. "You didn't wish for me to do that to you, correct? Well, I thought about it and it should be against my standards as a priest... especially when you wish for a platonic relationship."

"Platonic? Miroku what the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha hissed back. Miroku looked up sharply in surprise. "I need you..." Inuyasha watched as Miroku smiled in a depressed way. Miroku slowly approached Inuyasha and brought his own face up to Inuyasha's dog ears.

"You don't need me..." Miroku whispered. "You need me to relieve you of your sexual desire..."

"Bastard..." Inuyasha replied blushing. As Miroku began to pull away, Inuyasha pulled him into a protecting embrace. Inuyasha noticed that Miroku had also become erect as he pulled him in as close as possible. "You're the one who just made me like this..."

"I... have been like this before because of you many times... and I don't ask you to..." Miroku sunk into his own blush as he snuggled into Inuyasha's chest. 'So warm...' he thought to himself as he pulled in closer.

"I know about this, Miroku. I know we're both men... but..." Inuyasha closed his eyes and bathed himself in Miroku's cologne. "But..."

Miroku just shook his head softly. "To you, I am a chocolate-covered marshmallow cookie and nothing else... and to you, Kagome-sama is candy and cookies... She's absolute sweetness to you...your everything." The words were muffled gently by Inuyasha's red kimono and so were his subtle sobs.

"No... It's not that way! I mean... Kagome... to me... is a marshmallow." Inuyasha stumbled slightly on the words, hardly being able to find the right ones to say. His fingers drummed lightly on Miroku's embrace as he gradually began to loosen his grip on Miroku.

"Inuyasha... I understand. You don't need to make it sound better for me. She's always been everything to you." Miroku diverted his eyes and broke away from Inuyasha's warm and yet fading embrace. "I can't brake a love that is so strong that time has no meaning to it. Between us... time exists." At this Inuyasha's eyes became deep with a plethora of many emotions.

"Miroku... I... you-you've always been such a bastard, you know?" Inuyasha managed to choke out. Miroku's eyes became wide with shock as he saw Inuyasha's eyes tremble with tears. "You have never done anything to make this better... you never listen... don't you realize how much Kagome means to me?"

Miroku just nodded slightly. "I'll let you think about it." He could feel himself turn gently and take a light pace, leaving Inuyasha torn and confused behind him. As soon as he was out of sight, he took off running deeper into the forest. He looked around slowly as his pace slowed from exhaustion. A cave existed in the darkness and, thus, so did a small mountain. 'I... just need to resolve it all...' he thought to himself gently. 'Get rid of it all. Not die by the air tunnel but die from a fall.... Inuyasha wouldn't worry anymore. He wouldn't have to make choices that he thinks are too complicated for him...'

Miroku's eyes reflected the sunset gently as he reached a good spot to fall from the small mountain. He looked down at the ground and took in a deep breath, wondering if he was going to regret falling. 'All falls have some kind of a regret tied to them... like falling in love...' He walked closer to the edge and threw his staff over the side. Silence followed for about a minute until a loud sound met his ears. 'That'll be me pretty soon...' he thought to himself gently.

He let his hair out of its customary bind and let the band fall to meet his staff on the ground. He felt himself tremble as the events of the previous hour filled his head. "I.... tried to rape him..." Miroku felt himself saying aloud. He trembled as he held himself and forced himself to hear a final good though run through his head. 'At least I know I was something to him... Maybe not much, but something.'

He could feel himself smirk slightly as he let his feet go out from underneath him. He gently closed his eyes and felt himself fall forwards. It was then he knew that the only resolution was to fall- but he was scared. He knew the ground was coming fast... but he had to let go of himself. He felt a rush of sickness and fear as his body began to near the ground slowly. Then, a sudden realization washed over him- he was broken apart already- how could a fall hurt him any worse?

All of a sudden, he felt a tight grasp secure him quickly. Silky silver hair waved in his face as he felt himself be carried and set against a tree. 'I don't want to even look at this...' Miroku thought to himself gently, keeping his eyes closed in a serene way.

"I know you're faking, Miroku! Open them." Inuyasha growled in a commanding voice. Miroku opened one eye lazily and looked up to Inuyasha. "What the hell do you think you were doing?"

Miroku just sat in silence and closed his eye again. 'I can't believe this... I'll never be able to live with this shame tied onto me like a weight.' He heard a small voice in his head inform him.

"Bastard. Go off and try to kill yourself like an idiot!" Inuyasha yelled, pacing around frantically, almost in a panic. Miroku just stayed close to the tree with his eyes closed, praying that Inuyasha would leave him to his own devices. This, however, he knew was unlikely. "Hey... you brake anything?" He felt Inuyasha take his arm and feel it, apparently searching for broken bones. Miroku's eyes slowly opened to look gently into golden eyes filled with concern. 

Miroku took Inuyasha's hand with his own and placed it gently on his heart. "I have been broken... A fall can't brake me anymore than I already am, Inuyasha." Miroku felt his arm drop limply again. 

"...I made you want to do this, then?" Inuyasha asked, his eyebrow furrowed in a certain sadness. 

"Hey... don't worry. I can move on." Miroku felt himself blush brightly as he attempted to get up. Inuyasha's hand was still pressed firmly to his heart. 

"I have a right to worry... since I can't move on."Inuyasha's lips pulled into Miroku's in a long and needing kiss. As Miroku began to brake away, Inuyasha's tongue begged for entrance and explored every corner of Miroku's mouth. As the kiss ended, the two boys panted for air. Miroku's eyes opened once again in shock. As he moved to inform Inuyasha that it was just lust taking over, Miroku felt the boy take him into a tight embrace. Inuyasha began to speak again in a hoarse whisper. "I didn't know what to tell you... I was so confused. All I knew is that when I looked at you, my heart did flip-flops and my stomach felt light. I knew I had loved you for a long time. But... we were both men and we couldn't have a relationship that would suit our needs. You wished for a child and I had always wanted Kikyou. To me it was as simple as that, since Kagome is Kikyou. But, I took some time to look at it and I realized that I didn't love Kagome or Kikyou... And that you were... different. I could talk with you and just looking at you would send chills up and down my body. That's when I decided that it would work... after all, we didn't need the other aspects since we were so in love..."

Miroku's heart skipped a beat at the mention of love as Inuyasha's lips pressed against his slowly. As they parted, Inuyasha let Miroku out of the embrace and picked him up slowly. "Let's go back to the hut- White Day ain't over yet. I still have more explaining to do."

Miroku snuggled in close to Inuyasha, tired from all the ups and downs of the day. "What do you still have to explain, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked down at Miroku. "Back on that day Kagome gave me the brown lumps and you gave me the candy, I went down the well to Kagome's time and took all the money out of her stupid pink bank. I went to the store and bought candy for Kagome, a marshmallow for you, ramen, and those marshmallow cookie things for myself. Well... as it got closer to time for White Day, I began to change my mind on the matter. I was going to give you the candy, but I had already ate it myself... and of course, I figured I'd stick that marshmallow thing into a box and come up with some excuse."

Miroku pouted at Inuyasha. "So... I wasn't your first choice..."

Inuyasha sighed and gently breathed in some of the remaining cologne from Miroku's warm body. "As I said... it was weird to think that I was in love with a man..."

Miroku smiled contently and closed his eyes. All of a sudden, his eyes snapped open. "Inuyasha... what did you end up giving Kagome-sama the same thing?" 

Inuyasha growled from the back of his throat. "No. I gave her the receipt, circled marshmallows, and gave her back her change."

Miroku chuckled gently and snuggled into Inuyasha. Inuyasha shot an annoyed glance down at the young man, diverting his eyes from the path in front of him. Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something, but was shocked as he tripped over Miroku's staff. The two lovers fell to the ground, Inuyasha falling on top of Miroku. Inuyasha bent down slowly for a kiss, but was surprised to feel Miroku's hand stop his lips. 

"Let's not tonight. We've been out here way too long, and they'll start wondering about the two of us." Miroku gently pushed himself up into Inuyasha's welcoming arms. 

Inuyasha picked Miroku up again, grabbing the staff and the hair bind from off the ground. They walked for many miles of silence until Inuyasha spoke up gently. "Say, Miroku...."

Miroku's near sleep was broken by Inuyasha's voice. "What?"

"Why was your reaction to my confusion to run off and try to jump off a cliff when you knew I'd be there to save you anyway?"

Miroku smiled. "Oh. That's it? That's what you woke me up for?" Inuyasha stared down at Miroku darkly, his eyes demanding an answer. "Sometimes... you just need to fall to open up your heart, mind, and soul..." 

"Oh."

Miroku let himself drift off slowly into sleep and felt gentle thoughts trickle through his head. Before he was completely asleep, he felt himself mumble a simple sentence to Inuyasha. "I needed a short fall from being in mid-air so I could be back on the earth next to you..."

*End*


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